Unemployment numbers were up a little, income tax collections down a bit, and police & fire have been busy the last couple of weeks, based on the latest weekly Mentor city manager reports to City Council. Here’s more info on those and some other items worth noting in the most recent memos:

Fire Department
• The fire department provided hands-only CPR training to 3,649 students in 2012.

• On Dec. 28 at 10:21 p.m., paramedics were called to another overdose. Advance Life Support treatment, including the administration of Narcan was provided to an unresponsive patient. The patient was then transported to the hospital in stable condition.

• On Jan. 5 at 1:46 a.m., paramedics responded to a possible heroin overdose. The female was successfully treated at the scene with Narcan and the patient then requested no transport to the hospital.

• On Jan. 5 at 2:43 a.m., paramedics responded to a possible alcohol poisoning where the patient requested transport. He was transported to Lake Health West Hospital.

• On Jan. 6 at 3:27 p.m., paramedics responded to a possible overdose of anti-psychotic medications. The patient was treated and transported to Lake Health TriPoint.

• On Jan. 8 2:07 a.m., paramedics responded to an assault victim in a bar. Upon arrival, paramedics found a patient with head trauma. The patient was treated and transported to Lake Health West Hospital.

• On Jan. 8 at 12:31 p.m., Mentor Fire Department responded to a vehicle into a building. Upon arrival, it was discovered that a car had hit two other cars and then drove into McDonald’s Playland. There was moderate damage to the cars, no injuries and there was minimal damage done to the building.  McDonald’s was able to remain open for business.

Police Department
• On Dec. 30, a male was arrested after assaulting his girlfriend and sister on Seneca Trail. The male ran from the house after his sister called MPD for help. K-9 Titan began tracking the suspect through backyards and over numerous fences. The suspect was found hiding under a picnic table. He would not respond to any of the officer’s commands to show his hands and to come out from under the table. Titan was released and bit the male on the forearm. Titan was able to drag the male out from under the table. The male sustained puncture wounds from the bite. He was charged with felonious assault, domestic violence, disrupting public service and resisting arrest.

• An assault occurred at the 306 Lounge in the early morning hours of Jan. 8. The male suspect assaulted a girlfriend inside the bar and then punched another patron who attempted to help the female. The suspect left the area with the girlfriend he had assaulted. They got into another argument at the corner of 306 and Hodgson. Prior to police arriving, the suspect fled on foot. A short time later, a call was received from a resident on Taft reporting a male had forced his way into his house. This male matched the description of the suspect. The male fled the house and could not be located. The investigation is continuing.

• Rape suspect Michael Yeckley was sentenced to 9 years in prison for having sexual conduct with a 13-year-old victim in Mentor on April 22.

• Stacey Robinson was sentenced to 12 months in prison for robbing the PNC bank at 8537 Mentor Ave. on Aug. 29. Robinson was arrested approximately 2 hours after the robbery.  

• The deer management culling efforts began on Jan. 8. Officers had been operating in Morton Park for the past three days. We had one incident of trespassing when a male entered the wooded area on a dirt bike. The male did not comply with orders from officers to stop and continued at a high rate of speed through the woods. He eventually abandoned his motorcycle and was discovered by officers under a tree. He was transported to the hospital by MFD for evaluation.  He will be charged appropriately. There have been no incidents of protest or any other outside disruptions to the effort, and we have been assisted by ODNR personnel.

Finance
• Income tax collections for the month of December were slightly down ($86,000) when compared to December of last year. The total year collections for 2012 exceeded $36 million and were favorable by 8.7% as compared to 2011.

Engineering
• ODOT has informed the city that the start of the Heisley Road bridge deck replacement is expected to begin on Jan. 15 at which time the southbound detour will be put into effect. ODOT indicated they will be placing message boards on Heisley Road and SR2 a minimum of two days prior to the start of work.

Economic and Community Development
• The unemployment rate for the City of Mentor increased 0.8 percent to 5.4 percent after five consecutive months of decline. One year ago (November 2011), the unemployment rate was 5.5 percent. In Lake County, the unemployment rate increased 1 percent to 6.1 percent in November 2012. Despite the significant increase, the City of Mentor continues to have the lowest unemployment rate for any community in Ohio with a population over 50,000; however, it now ranks thirteenth of the 65 cities for which unemployment numbers are calculated. The State of Ohio’s unemployment rate also increased 0.2 percent for the month of November 2012 to 6.5 percent.

Parks and Recreation Department
• Just a reminder that the Recreation Department is accepting registration for this year’s Chili Open. The Open will be held at Black Brook Golf Course with tee times starting at 9 a.m. on Jan. 26.

BScott@News-Herald.com, @ReporterBetsy